Product order dosing filler systems and related methods

ABSTRACT

A method may include filling an order of a plurality of orders with a dosing filler system. The method may include receiving pharmaceutical orders including order for drugs used in multi-drug regimens using an order processing device. Each of the multi-drug regimen may have a plurality of scheduled dosing events. The method may include transporting containers to a dosing device, using the dosing device to dispense drugs for scheduled dosing events into the containers based on the received pharmaceutical orders, transporting the containers with the dispensed drugs to the container sealing device, using the container sealing device to seal the plurality of the containers with the dispensed drugs, transporting the dosage unit containers to the container identifier assembly, and using the container identifier assembly to identify the dosage unit containers based on the received pharmaceutical order.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.16/540,404 filed Aug. 14, 2019; said application claims the benefit ofpriority under 35 U.S.C. § 119(e) of U.S. Provisional Patent ApplicationSer. No. 62/765,071, filed on Aug. 17, 2018, and titled “PRODUCT ORDERDOSING FILLER SYSTEMS AND RELATED METHODS”. The entire disclosures ofthe above applications are incorporated by reference herein in theirentirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates generally to automated filling centerssuch as a high-volume pharmacy, and more particularly, to systems,devices, and methods for filling daily dosage unit pharmacy orders ofdiffering product selections within a high-volume pharmacy.

BACKGROUND

Pharmaceutical order processing systems typically involve laborintensive and/or complicated processes to sort and prepare portions ofthe order such that the various portions of the order may be correctlyprocessed and/or joined up with other portions of the pharmacy order forpackaging and shipment to the customer. Daily dosage unit pharmacyorders may include multiple separate daily dosage unit containers, eachcontaining multiple pharmaceutical products to be taken by the customerat the same time. The pharmaceutical products of the daily dosage unitorder or product selection are required to be dispensed accurately andin relatively small quantities to generate each of the daily dosage unitdosages, and thus the process for filling daily dosage unit orders isdifficult to efficiently complete and requires substantial operator andmachine time to ensure the dosages are correctly dispensed, packed, andshipped. Improved systems and methods for filling daily dosage unitpharmacy orders at a high volume to improve order fulfillmentrealization and customer satisfaction are needed.

This background section is intended to introduce the reader to variousaspects of art that may be related to various aspects of the presentdisclosure, which are described and/or claimed below. This discussion isbelieved to be helpful in providing the reader with backgroundinformation to facilitate a better understanding of the various aspectsof the present disclosure. Accordingly, it should be understood thatthese statements are to be read in this light, and not as admissions ofprior art.

SUMMARY

This Summary includes examples that provide an overview of some of theteachings of the present application and not intended to be an exclusiveor exhaustive treatment of the present subject matter. Further detailsabout the present subject matter are found in the detailed descriptionand appended claims. Other aspects of the disclosure will be apparent topersons skilled in the art upon reading and understanding the followingdetailed description and viewing the drawings that form a part thereof,each of which are not to be taken in a limiting sense. The scope of thepresent disclosure is defined by the appended claims and their legalequivalents.

An example of subject matter (such as a system, a device, apparatus ormachine) may include an order processing device configured to receivepharmaceutical orders including orders for drugs used in multi-drugregimens. Each of the multi-drug regimens may have a plurality ofscheduled dosing events. The subject matter may include a containertransport system, and a container transfer device configured to transfercontainers to the container transport system. The container transportsystem may be configured to transport the containers to a dosing device,a container sealing device, a container identifier assembly, and aninspection assembly. The dosing device may be configured to communicatewith the order processing device and configured to dispense drugs forscheduled dosing times into the containers based on the receivedpharmaceutical orders. Each of the containers may correspond to arespective one of the plurality of scheduled dosing events. Thecontainer transport system may be configured to transport the containerswith the dispensed drugs to the container sealing device. The containersealing device may be configured to seal to the plurality of thecontainers with the dispensed drugs. Each container may retain one ormore drugs for one of the multi-drug regimens. Thus, each container mayprovide a dosage unit container corresponding to one of the plurality ofscheduled dosing events for one of the multi-drug regimens. Thecontainer identifier assembly may be configured to identify the dosageunit containers based on the received pharmaceutical order. Theinspection assembly may be configured to inspect each of the dosage unitcontainers.

An example of subject matter (e.g. a method, a means for performingacts, or a machine-readable medium including instructions that, whenperformed by the machine, cause the machine to perform acts) may includefilling an order of a plurality of orders with a dosing filler system.The subject matter may include receiving pharmaceutical orders includingorder for drugs used in multi-drug regimens using an order processingdevice. Each of the multi-drug regimen has a plurality of scheduleddosing events. The subject matter may further include transferringcontainers to a container transport system, and transporting containersto a dosing device using the container transport system, and using thedosing device to dispense drugs for scheduled dosing events into thecontainers based on the received pharmaceutical orders. Each of thecontainers may correspond to a respective one of the plurality ofscheduled dosing events. The subject matter may include transporting,using the container transport system, the containers with the dispenseddrugs to the container sealing device, and using the container sealingdevice to seal the plurality of the containers with the dispensed drugs.Each container may retain one or more drugs for one of the multi-drugregimens. Thus, each container may provide a dosage unit containercorresponding to one of the plurality of scheduled dosing events for oneof the multi-drug regimens. The subject matter may include transporting,using the container transport system, the dosage unit containers to thecontainer identifier assembly, and using the container identifierassembly to identify the dosage unit containers based on the receivedpharmaceutical order. The subject matter may include transporting, usingthe container transport system, the dosage unit containers to theinspection assembly, and using the inspection assembly to inspect eachof the dosage unit containers.

An example of subject matter may include a drug package. The drugpackage may include drugs used in a multi-drug regimen having aplurality of scheduled dosing events. The drug package may include aplurality of dosage unit containers corresponding to the plurality ofscheduled dosing events for the multi-drug regimen. Each of theplurality of dosage unit containers may contain one or more types ofdrugs for the multi-drug regimen, and each of the plurality of dosageunit containers may be constructed from a material to maintain a cupshape in an ambient environment and having a liner, such as an inductionliner providing a hermetic seal that is tamper evident. Each of thedosage unit containers may be labeled with a corresponding one of theplurality of dosing times, and a name and a dosage for each of the onemore types of drugs contained with the dosage unit container.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Various embodiments are illustrated by way of example in the figures ofthe accompanying drawings. Such embodiments are demonstrative and notintended to be exhaustive or exclusive embodiments of the presentsubject matter.

FIG. 1 illustrates, by way of example and not limitation, a blockdiagram of an embodiment of a pharmacy order processing system;

FIG. 2 illustrates, by way of example and not limitation, a blockdiagram of an embodiment of an order processing device that may bedeployed within an order processing system such as the system of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 illustrates, by way of example and not limitation, an embodimentof a product selection order filling system that may be deployed withina pharmacy order processing system such as the system of FIG. 1 ;

FIG. 4 illustrates, by way of example and not limitation, a process flowillustrating an embodiment of a method for filling an order of aplurality of orders with an order dosing filler system.

FIG. 5 illustrates, by way of example and not limitation, anotherexample order dosing filler system according to another embodiment.

FIG. 6 illustrates, by way of example and not limitation, an embodimentof an order dosing filler system configured for filling at least aportion of a pharmaceutical order using cups to provide dosage unitcontainers that correspond to scheduled dosing events.

FIG. 7 illustrates a process flow of an embodiment of a method forfilling at least a portion of a pharmaceutical order.

FIG. 8 illustrates a process flow of an embodiment of a method forfilling at least a portion of a pharmaceutical order.

FIG. 9 illustrates, by way of example and not limitation, a plurality ofdosage unit containers that contain drug(s) for a scheduled dosing eventfor a supply period of a multi-drug regimen.

FIGS. 10A-10B illustrate, by way of example and not limitation, views ofan example of a container within a puck; and

FIGS. 10C-10E illustrate, by way of example and not limitation, anexample of a container.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The following detailed description of the present subject matter refersto the accompanying drawings which show, by way of illustration,specific aspects and embodiments in which the present subject matter maybe practiced. These embodiments are described in sufficient detail toenable those skilled in the art to practice the present subject matter.Other embodiments may be utilized and structural, logical, andelectrical changes may be made without departing from the scope of thepresent subject matter. References to “an”, “one”, or “various”embodiments in this disclosure are not necessarily to the sameembodiment, and such references contemplate more than one embodiment.The following detailed description is, therefore, not to be taken in alimiting sense, and the scope is defined only by the appended claims,along with the full scope of legal equivalents to which such claims areentitled.

Generally, a prescription order or pharmaceutical order may be generatedfor a high-volume pharmacy, where the prescription order may includemore than one prescription drug for fulfillment. For example, theprescription order may include a single prescription drug. In anotherexample, the prescription order may include two or more prescriptiondrugs. Each prescription drug in a prescription order may be consideredto be an order component of the prescription order. Pharmaceuticalorders may include orders for drugs used in multi-drug regimens. Each ofthe multi-drug regimens has a plurality of scheduled dosing events. Forexample, a dosing event may be associated with a day and/or date, andtime of the day (e.g. Monday, 8:00 AM; Monday, 8:00 PM) in which one ormore of the drugs are administered. The order components may correspondto the scheduled dosing events. A quantity of a prescription drug (e.g.order component) may be distributed in pill bottles, containers, orother packaging. Multiple pharmaceutical products may also be dispensedtogether as part of a pharmaceutical product selection for a dosingevent (e.g. daily dosage unit application of similar function). Themultiple pharmaceutical products that make up a drug dose event orproduct selection may be dispensed into a containment object, which maybe referred to as a dosage unit container, and then the containmentobject may be transported, inspected, and packed with multiple othercontainment objects also containing pharmaceutical product selectionsfor daily dosage unit applications. It is noted that a pharmaceuticalorder may include, in addition to the drugs used in the multi-drugregimen, other non-prescription medicines or other products that are notmedicinal such as, by way of example and not limitation, bandages. Theseother components of the pharmaceutical order may be packaged with thescheduled dosing events of the multi-drug regimen.

FIG. 1 illustrates, by way of example and not limitation, a blockdiagram of an embodiment of a pharmacy order processing system. Whilethe system 100 is generally described as being deployed in a high-volumefulfillment center (e.g., a mail order pharmacy, a direct deliverypharmacy, a home delivery pharmacy and the like), the system 100 and/orcomponents thereof may otherwise be deployed. The system 100 may includean order processing device 102 configured to communicate over a network104 with a benefit manager device 106. Additional devices which maycommunicate over the network 104 with the benefit manager device 106and/or the order processing device 102 may include at least some of:database(s) 108 which may store one or more than one of order data 110,member data 112, claims data 114, drug data 116, prescription data 118,and plan sponsor data 120; pallet sizing and pucking device(s) 122 (orother cart-like devices used to transport product); loading device(s)124; inspect device(s) 126; unit-of-use device(s) 128; automateddispensing device(s) 130; manual fulfillment device(s) 132; reviewdevice(s) 134; imaging device(s) 136; cap device(s) 138; accumulationdevice(s) 140; packing device(s) 142; unit-of-use packing device(s) 144,container sorting device(s) 146 configured to image and sort containers,material handlings devices 148 configured to transport the containersthroughout the system 100, and an order dosing filler system 150configured to fill daily dosage unit pharmacy orders. The system 100 mayalso include additional devices.

The order processing device 102 may receive information aboutprescriptions being filled at a pharmacy in which the order processingdevice 102 is deployed. In general, the order processing device 102 maybe a device located within or otherwise associated with a pharmacylocation to enable fulfillment of a prescription by dispensingprescription drugs. In some embodiments, the order processing device 102may be a device separate from a pharmacy that enables communication withother devices located within a pharmacy. For example, the orderprocessing device 102 may be in communication with another orderprocessing device 102 and/or other devices, such as other devicesillustrated in FIG. 1 , located with a pharmacy. In some embodiments, anexternal pharmacy order processing device 102 may have limitedfunctionality (e.g., as operated by a patient requesting fulfillment ofa prescription drug) when an internal pharmacy order processing device102 may have greater functionality (e.g., as operated by a pharmacy).

The order processing device 102 may track a pharmaceutical order as itis fulfilled. A pharmaceutical order may include a prescription orderfor prescription medicine as well as may include non-prescriptionmedicine and/or non-medical products. A prescription order may includeone or more than one prescription to be filled by the pharmacy. Theorder processing device 102 may make pharmacy routing decisions and/ororder consolidation decisions for a prescription order. The pharmacyrouting decisions may include what device or devices in the pharmacy areresponsible for filling at least a portion of the pharmaceutical order,where the order consolidation decisions include whether portions of apharmaceutical order or multiple pharmaceutical orders should be shippedtogether for a patient or a patient family. The order processing device102 may operate in combination with the benefit manager device 106.

Examples of the order processing device 102 may include a set-top box(STB), a receiver card, a mobile telephone, a personal digital assistant(PDA), a display device, a portable gaming unit, a tablet, and acomputing system; however other devices may also be used. For example,the order processing device 102 may include a mobile electronic device,such an iPhone or iPad device by Apple, Inc., mobile electronic devicespowered by ANDROID by Google, Inc., and a BLACKBERRY device byBlackberry Limited. The order processing device 102 may include othercomputing devices, such as desktop computing devices, notebook computingdevices, netbook computing devices, gaming devices, and the like. Thedevice 102 may include a processor, a memory to store data andinstructions, and communication functionality. Other types of electronicdevices that can use rules and instructions to execute various functionsmay also be used.

Examples of the network 104 include Mobile Communications (GSM) network,a code division multiple access (CDMA) network, 3rd GenerationPartnership Project (3GPP), an Internet Protocol (IP) network, aWireless Application Protocol (WAP) network, a WiFi network, or an IEEE802.11 standards network, as well as various combinations thereof. Thenetwork 104 may include optical communications. The network 104 may be alocal area network or a global communication network, such as theInternet. Other conventional and/or later developed wired and wirelessnetworks may also be used. In some embodiments, the network 104 mayinclude a prescribing network such as the electronic prescribing networkoperated by Surescripts of Arlington, Virginia.

The benefit manager device 106 may be operated by an entity at leastpartially responsible for creation and/or management of the pharmacy ordrug benefit. The benefit manager operating the benefit manager device106 may be a pharmacy benefit manager (PBM), or may be other entitiesthat operate the benefit manager device 106 either on behalf ofthemselves, the PBM, or another entity. For example, the benefit managermay be operated by a health plan, a retail pharmacy chain, a drugwholesaler, a data analytics or other type of software-related company,or the like. In some embodiments, a PBM that provides the pharmacybenefit may also provide one or more than one additional benefitsincluding a health benefit, a dental benefit, a vision benefit, awellness benefit, a radiology benefit, a pet care benefit, an insurancebenefit, a long term care benefit, a nursing home benefit, and the like.The PBM may, in addition to its PBM operations, operate one or more thanone pharmacy. The pharmacies may be retail pharmacies, mail orderpharmacies, etc.

By way of example and not limitation, a member (or a person on behalf ofthe member) of a pharmacy benefit plan administered by or through thePBM may attempt to obtain a prescription drug at a retail pharmacylocation where the member can obtain drugs in a physical store from apharmacist or pharmacist technician, or in some instances through mailorder drug delivery from a mail order pharmacy location. The member mayobtain a prescription drug directly or indirectly through the use of amachine, such as a kiosk, vending unit, mobile electronic device, or adifferent type of mechanical, electrical, an electronic communicationdevice and/or computing device.

The member may have a co-pay for the prescription drug that reflects anamount of money that the member is responsible to pay the pharmacy forthe prescription drug. The money paid by the member to the pharmacy maycome from the personal funds of the member, a health savings account(HSA) of the member or the member's family, a health reimbursementarrangement (HRA) of the member or the member's family, a flexiblespending accounts (FSA) of the member or the member's family, or thelike. An employer of the member may directly or indirectly fund orreimburse the member or an account of the member for the co-pay.

The amount of the co-pay paid by the member may vary by the benefit planof a plan sponsor or client with the PBM. The member's co-pay may bebased on a flat co-pay (e.g., $10), co-insurance (e.g., 10%), and/or adeductible (e.g., for first $500 of annual prescription drug spend) forcertain prescription drugs, certain types of prescription drugs, and/orall prescription drugs. In certain instances, the member may not pay theco-pay or may only pay for a portion of a co-pay for a prescriptiondrug. For example, if the usual and customary cost for a generic versionof a prescription drug is $4, and the member's flat co-pay is $20 forthe prescription drug, the member may only pay $4 to receive theprescription drug. In another example involving a worker's compensationclaim, no co-pay may be due by the member for the prescription drug. Theco-pay may also vary based on the channel used to receive theprescription drug. For example, the co-pay for receiving prescriptiondrugs from a mail order pharmacy location may be less than the co-payfor receiving prescription drugs from a retail pharmacy location.

In conjunction with receiving the co-pay (if any) from the member anddispensing the prescription drug to the member, the pharmacy submits aclaim to the PBM for the prescription drug. The PBM may perform certainadjudication operations including verifying the eligibility of themember, reviewing the formulary of the member to determine appropriateco-pay, coinsurance, and deductible for the prescription drug, andperforming a drug utilization review (DUR) on the member. The PBM thenprovides a response to the pharmacy following performance of at leastsome of the aforementioned operations. As part of the adjudication, theplan sponsor (or the PBM on behalf of the plan sponsor) ultimatelyreimburses the pharmacy for filling the prescription drug when theprescription drug was successfully adjudicated. The aforementionedadjudication operations generally occur before the co-pay is receivedand the prescription drug dispensed. However, the operations may occursimultaneously, substantially simultaneously, or in a different order.In addition, more or less adjudication operations may be performed as atleast part of the adjudication process.

The amount of reimbursement paid to the pharmacy by a plan sponsorand/or money paid by the member may be based at least in part on thetype of pharmacy network in which the pharmacy is included. Otherfactors may be used to determine the amount in addition to the type ofpharmacy network. For example, if the member pays the pharmacy for theprescription without using the prescription drug benefit provided by thebenefit manager, the amount of money paid by the member may be higherand the amount of money received by the pharmacy for dispensing theprescription drug and for the prescription drug itself may be higher.Some or all of the foregoing operations may be performed by executinginstructions on the benefit manager device 106 and/or an additionaldevice.

In some embodiments, at least some of the functionality of the orderprocessing device 102 may be included in the benefit manager device 106.The order processing device 102 may be in a client-server relationshipwith the benefit manager device 106, a peer-to-peer relationship withthe benefit manager device 106, or in a different type of relationshipwith the benefit manager device 106.

The order processing device 102 and/or the benefit manager device 106may be in communication directly (e.g., through local storage) and/orthrough the network 104 (e.g., in a cloud configuration or software as aservice) with a database 108 (e.g., as may be retained in memory orotherwise). The database 108 may store order data 110, member data 112,claims data 114, drug data 116, prescription data 118, and/or plansponsor data 120. Other data may be stored in the database 108.

The order data 110 may include data related to the order ofprescriptions including the type (e.g., drug name and strength) andquantity of each prescription in a prescription order. The order data110 may also include data used for completion of the prescription, suchas prescription materials. Prescription materials may be a type of ordermaterials that include an electronic copy of information regarding theprescription drug for inclusion with or otherwise in conjunction withthe fulfilled prescription. The prescription materials may includeelectronic information regarding drug interaction warnings, recommendedusage, possible side effects, expiration date, date of prescribing, orthe like. The order data 110 may be used by a high-volume fulfillmentcenter to fulfill a pharmacy order.

In some embodiments, the order data 110 may include verificationinformation associated with fulfillment of the prescription in thepharmacy. For example, the order data 110 may include videos and/orimages taken of: the prescription drug prior to dispensing, duringdispensing, and/or after dispensing; a prescription container (e.g., aprescription bottle and sealing lid) used to contain the prescriptiondrug prior to dispensing, during dispensing, and/or after dispensing;the packaging and/or packaging materials used to ship or otherwisedeliver the prescription drug prior to dispensing, during dispensing,and/or after dispensing; and/or the fulfillment process within thepharmacy. Other type of verification information such as bar code dataread from pallets used to transport prescriptions within the pharmacymay also be stored as order data 110.

The member data 112 includes information regarding the membersassociated with the benefit manager. Examples of the member data 112include name, address, telephone number, e-mail address, prescriptiondrug history, and the like. The member data 112 may include a plansponsor identifier that identifies the plan sponsor associated with themember and/or a member identifier that identifies the member to the plansponsor. The member data 112 may include a member identifier thatidentifies the plan sponsor associated with the patient and/or a patientidentifier that identifies the patient to the plan sponsor. The memberdata 112 may also include, by way of example, dispensation preferencessuch as type of label, type of cap, message preferences, languagepreferences, or the like.

The member data 112 may be accessed by various devices in the pharmacy,e.g., the high-volume fulfillment center, to obtain information utilizedfor fulfillment and shipping of prescription orders. In someembodiments, an external order processing device 102 operated by or onbehalf of a member may have access to at least a portion of the memberdata 112 for review, verification, or other purposes.

In some embodiments, the member data 112 may include information forpersons who are patients of the pharmacy but are not members in abenefit plan being provided by the benefit manager. For example, thesepatients may obtain drug directly from the pharmacy, through a privatelabel service offered by the pharmacy, the high-volume fulfillmentcenter, or otherwise. In general, the use of the terms member andpatient may be used interchangeably herein.

The claims data 114 includes information regarding pharmacy claimsadjudicated by the PBM under a drug benefit program provided by the PBMfor one, or more than one, plan sponsors. In general, the claims data114 includes an identification of the client that sponsors the drugbenefit program under which the claim is made, and/or the member thatpurchased the prescription drug giving rise to the claim, theprescription drug that was filled by the pharmacy (e.g., the nationaldrug code number), the dispensing date, generic indicator, GPI number,medication class, the cost of the prescription drug provided under thedrug benefit program, the copay/coinsurance amount, rebate information,and/or member eligibility. Additional information may be included.

In some embodiments, other types of claims beyond prescription drugclaims may be stored in the claims data 114. For example, medicalclaims, dental claims, wellness claims, or other type of healthcare-related claims for members may be stored as a portion of the claimsdata 114.

In some embodiments, the claims data 114 includes claims that identifythe members with whom the claims are associated. In some embodiments,the claims data 114 includes claims that have been de-identified (e.g.,associated with a unique identifier but not with a particular,identifiable member).

The drug data 116 may include drug name (e.g., technical name and/orcommon name), other names by which the drug is known by, activeingredients, an image of the drug (e.g., in pill form), and the like.The drug data 116 may include information associated with a singlemedication or multiple medications.

The prescription data 118 may include information regardingprescriptions that may be issued by prescribers on behalf of patients,who may be members of the drug benefit plan, for example to be filled bya pharmacy. Examples of the prescription data 118 include patient names,medication or treatment (such as lab tests), dosing information, and thelike. The prescriptions may be electronic prescriptions, paperprescriptions that have been scanned, or otherwise. In some embodiments,the dosing information reflects a frequency of use (e.g., once a day,twice a day, before each meal, etc.) and a duration of use (e.g., a fewdays, a week, a few weeks, a month, etc.).

In some embodiments, the order data 110 may be linked to associatedmember data 112, claims data 114, drug data 116, and/or prescriptiondata 118.

The plan sponsor data 120 includes information regarding the plansponsors of the benefit manager. Examples of the plan sponsor data 120include company name, company address, contact name, contact telephonenumber, contact e-mail address, and the like.

The order processing device 102 may direct at least some of theoperations of the devices illustrated in FIG. 1 . In some embodiments,operations performed by one of these devices may be performedsequentially, or in parallel with the operations of another device asmay be coordinated by the order processing device 102. In someembodiments, the order processing device 102 tracks a prescription withthe pharmacy based on operations performed by one or more of the devicesillustrated in FIG. 1 .

A material transport system or assembly may be used to transportproduct. For example, conveyors may include gravity conveyors or poweredconveyors. Powered conveyors may include but are not limitedchain-driven conveyors, pallet conveyors and servo-controlled conveyors.Intelligent conveyor systems may be designed to control the speed and/ordirection of lines of article motion, and may allow individual articlesto be inserted or removed from the line. Intelligent conveyor system maybe designed to enable electronic movement control of individualtransport mechanisms (e.g. pucks) for the product. For example, conveyorsystems may be designed with one or more servo motors, controlled by aprogrammable servo controller, to electronically control movement of anindividual puck. An example of an intelligent system may move individualcarts, with or without a puck in or otherwise connected to the cart,along rails, under electronic control, in order to enable individualarticles to be inserted and/or removed from line(s) of articles.Material transport systems may include a rotating structure with aperiphery. Objects may be on a surface near the periphery such that theymove as the structure rotates. Other material transport systems may beused. The material transport system may include combinations differenttypes of material transport systems, such as a combination of two ormore of a gravity conveyor, a power conveyor, and an intelligentconveyor.

In some embodiments, by way of example, the system 100 may transportproduct such as prescription drug containers (e.g., between or amongdevices, such as one of more devices illustrated in FIG. 1 , in thehigh-volume fulfillment center) by use of pallets. The pallet sizing andpucking device 122 may configure pucks in a pallet. A pallet may be atransport structure for a number of the prescription containers 101, andmay include a number of cavities. A puck may be placed in one or morethan one of the cavities in a pallet by the pallet sizing and puckingdevice 122. A puck may include a receptacle sized and shaped to receivea prescription container 101. Such containers may be supported by thepucks during carriage in the pallet. Different pucks may havedifferently sized and shaped receptacles to accommodate containers ofdiffering sizes, as may be appropriate for different prescriptions.

The arrangement of pucks in a pallet may be determined by the orderprocessing device 102 based on prescriptions which the order processingdevice 102 decides to launch. In general, prescription orders in thestorage device 108 reside in one or more than one queues, and aregenerally launched in a first-in-first-out order. However, the orderprocessing device 102 may use logic and a variety of factors todetermine when and how prescriptions are to be launched. For example,some non-limiting factors which may alter the first-in-first-out orderof launching prescriptions in a pharmacy include the age of the order,whether the order required an outreach to a physician or some otherintervention, whether there are any performance guarantees with plansponsors or members, the available inventory of a given pharmaceuticalin view of existing prescriptions already launched which will requirethat pharmaceutical, the zip code to which the order will be shipped,the workload and volume of various parts of the pharmacy, whether validpaperwork for the order has been received, and/or similar orders for thesame pharmaceutical that are already to be launched. The logic may beimplemented directly in the pallet sizing and pucking device 122, in theorder processing device 102, in both devices 102, 122, or otherwise.Once a prescription is set to be launched, a puck suitable for theappropriate size of container for that prescription may be positioned ina pallet by a robotic arm or pickers. The pallet sizing and puckingdevice 122 may launch a pallet once pucks have been configured in thepallet.

The loading device 124 may load prescription containers into the puckson a pallet by a robotic arm, pick and place mechanism, or the like. Inone embodiment, the loading device 108 has robotic arms or pickers tograsp a prescription container and move it to and from a pallet or apuck. The loading device 124 may also print a label which is appropriatefor a container that is to be loaded onto the pallet, and apply thelabel to the container 101. The pallet may be located on a conveyorassembly during these operations, e.g., at the high-volume fulfillmentcenter.

The inspect device 126 may verify that containers are correctly labeledand positioned on a material transport system. For example, the inspectdevice 126 may verify that containers in a pallet are in correct spotson the pallet. The inspect device 126 may scan the label on one or morethan one container on the pallet. Labels of the containers may bescanned or imaged in full or in part by the inspect device 126. Suchimaging may occur after the container has been lifted out of its puck bya robotic arm, picker, or the like, or may be otherwise scanned orimaged while retained in the puck. In some embodiments, images and/orvideo captured by the inspect device 126 may be stored in the database108 as order data 110.

The unit-of-use device 128 may temporarily store, monitor, label and/ordispense unit-of-use products. In general, unit-of-use products areprescription drug products that may be delivered to a patient or memberwithout being repackaged at the pharmacy. These products may includepills in a container 101, pills in a blister pack, inhalers, and thelike. Prescription drug products dispensed by the unit-of-use device 128in their original packaging may be packaged individually or collectivelyfor shipping, or may be shipped in combination with other prescriptiondrugs dispenses by other devices in the high-volume fulfillment center.

The automated dispensing device 130 may include one or more than onedevice that dispense prescription drugs or pharmaceuticals intoprescription containers in accordance with one or multiple prescriptionorders. In general, the automated dispensing device 130 may includemechanical and electronic components with, in some embodiments, softwareand/or logic to facilitate pharmaceutical dispensing that wouldotherwise be performed in a manual fashion by a pharmacist and/orpharmacist technician. For example, the automated dispensing device 130may include high volume fillers that fill a number of prescription drugtypes at a rapid rate and blister pack machines that dispense and packdrugs into a blister pack. Prescription drugs dispensed by the automateddispensing devices 130 may be packaged individually or collectively forshipping, or may be shipped in combination with other prescription drugsdispenses by other devices in the high-volume fulfillment center.

The manual fulfillment device 132 may provide for manually fulfillmentof prescriptions. For example, the manual fulfillment device 132 mayreceive or obtain a container and enable fulfillment of the container bya pharmacist or pharmacy technician. In some embodiments, the manualfulfillment device 132 provides the filled container to another devicein the system 100 to be joined with other containers in a prescriptionorder for a patient or member. In general, a manual fulfillment mayinclude operations at least partially performed by a pharmacist orpharmacy technician. For example, a person may retrieve a supply of theprescribed drug, may make an observation, may count out a prescribedquantity of drugs and place them into a prescription container 101, orthe like. Some portions of the manual fulfillment process may beautomated by use of a machine. For example, counting of capsules,tablets, or pills (types of drug delivery structures) may be at leastpartially automated (e.g., through use of a pill counter). Prescriptiondrugs dispensed by the manual fulfillment device 132 may be packagedindividually or collectively for shipping, or may be shipped incombination with other prescription drugs dispenses by other devices inthe high-volume fulfillment center.

The review device 134 may process prescription containers to be reviewedby a pharmacist for proper pill count, exception handling, prescriptionverification, and the like. Fulfilled prescriptions may be manuallyreviewed and/or verified by a pharmacist, as may be required by state orlocal law. A pharmacist or other licensed pharmacy person who maydispense certain drugs in compliance with local and/or other laws mayoperate the review device 134 and visually inspect a prescriptioncontainer that has been filled with a prescription drug. The pharmacistmay review, verify, and/or evaluate drug quantity, drug strength, and/ordrug interaction concerns, or otherwise perform pharmacist services. Thepharmacist may also handle containers which have been flagged as anexception, such as containers with unreadable labels, containers forwhich the associated prescription order has been cancelled, containerswith defects, and the like.

The imaging device 136 may image containers once they have been filledwith pharmaceuticals. The imaging device 136 may measure the fill heightof the pharmaceuticals in the container based on the obtained image todetermine if the container is filled to the correct height given thetype of pharmaceutical and the number of pills in the prescription.Images of the pills in the container may also be obtained to detect thesize of the pills themselves and markings thereon. The images may betransmitted to the order processing device 102, and/or stored in thedatabase 110 as part of the order data 110.

The cap device 138 may be used to cap or otherwise seal a prescriptioncontainer 101. In some embodiments, the cap device 138 may secure aprescription container with a type of cap in accordance with a patientpreference (e.g., a preference regarding child resistance), a plansponsor preference, a prescriber preference, or the like. The cap device138 may also etch a message into the cap, although this process may beperformed by a subsequent device in the high-volume fulfillment center.The cap may include an induction liner. After the cap with the inductionliner is placed on the container, an induction sealer may heat theinduction liner such that the induction liner forms a tamper-evidentseal over the container.

The accumulation device 140 may be used to accumulate containers,including one or more types of containers, of prescription drugs in aprescription order. The accumulation device 140 may accumulateprescription containers from various devices or areas of the pharmacy.For example, the accumulation device 140 may accumulate prescriptioncontainers from the unit-of-use device 128, the automated dispensingdevice 130, the manual fulfillment device 132, and the review device134, at the high-volume fulfillment center. The accumulation device 140may be used to group the prescription containers prior to shipment tothe member or otherwise.

The packing device 142 may be configured to package a prescription orderin preparation for shipping the order. For example, the packing device142 may box, bag, or otherwise package the fulfilled prescription orderfor delivery. The packing device 142 may further place inserts into thepackaging. For example, bulk prescription orders may be shipped in abox, while other prescription orders may be shipped in a bag which maybe a wrap seal bag. The packing device 142 may label the box or bag withthe address and a recipient's name. The packing device 142 may sort thebox or bag for mailing in an efficient manner (e.g., sort by deliveryaddress). The packing device 142 may include ice or temperaturesensitive elements for prescriptions which are to be kept within atemperature range during shipping in order to retain efficacy orotherwise. The package may then be shipped through postal mail, througha mail order delivery service that ships via group and/or air (e.g.,UPS, FedEx, or DHL), through delivery service, through a locker box at ashipping site (e.g., Amazon locker or a PO Box), or otherwise.

The unit-of-use packing device 144 may be configured to package aunit-of-use prescription order in preparation for shipping the order.The unit-of-use packing device 144 may include manual scanning ofcontainers to be bagged for shipping to verify each container in theorder.

The devices illustrated in FIG. 1 may be separate device or combined.When multiple devices are present, the multiple devices may be of thesame device type or models or may be a different device type or model.

Moreover, the system 100 shows a single network 104; however, multiplenetworks can be used. The multiple networks may communicate in serieswith each other to link the devices or in parallel to link the devices.Multiple devices may share processing and/or memory resources. Thedevices may be located in the same area or in different locations. Forexample, the devices may be located in a building or set of adjoiningbuildings. They may be interconnected (e.g. by conveyors), networked,and/or otherwise in contact with one another or integrated with oneanother, e.g., at the high-volume fulfillment center. In addition, thefunctionality of a device may be split among a number of discretedevices and/or combined with other devices.

FIG. 2 illustrates, by way of example and not limitation, a blockdiagram of an embodiment of an order processing device that may bedeployed within an order processing system such as the system of FIG. 1. The order processing device 102 may be used by one or more than oneoperator to generate pharmaceutical orders (e.g. prescription orders),make routing decisions, make order consolidation decisions, and/or vieworder status and other order related information. For example, thepharmaceutical order may be comprised of order components. The orderprocessing device 102 may receive instructions to fulfill an orderwithout operator intervention. An order component may include aprescription drug fulfilled by use of a container through the system100. The order processing device 102 may direct an order component tothe manual fulfillment device 132 and/or to the review device 134, anddirect other components to the automated dispensing device 130. Theorder processing device 102 may direct the filling of an order componentto be filled by the product selection order filling system 150. Theorder processing device 102 may direct order components to theaccumulation device 140 for aggregation before shipping. The orderprocessing device 102 may direct the order components directly to thepacking device 142 if the prescription order does not requireaccumulation from various areas of the pharmacy for completion. Theorder processing device 102 may be deployed in the system 100, or mayotherwise be used.

The order processing device 102 may include an order verificationsubsystem 202, an order control subsystem 204, and/or an order trackingsubsystem 206. Other subsystems may also be included in the orderprocessing device 102.

The order verification subsystem 202 may communicate with the benefitmanager device 106 to, verify the eligibility of the member, review theformulary to determine appropriate co-pay, coinsurance, and deductiblefor the prescription drug, and/or perform a DUR. Other communicationsbetween the order verification subsystem 202 and the benefit managerdevice 106 may be performed for a variety of purposes.

The order control subsystem 204 controls various movements of thecontainers and/or pallets along with various filling functions duringtheir progression through the system 100. The order control subsystem204 may control filling of a plurality of individual doses for dosingevents by the product selection order filling system 150. In someembodiments, the order control subsystem 204 may identify a prescribeddrug in one or more than one prescription order as capable of beingfulfilled by the automated dispensing device 130 or the automated perdosing event system 150. The order control subsystem 204 may determinewhich prescriptions are to be launched, and may determine that a palletof automated-fill containers is to be launched. The order controlsubsystem 204 may determine that an automated-fill prescription of aspecific pharmaceutical is to be launched, and may examine a queue oforders awaiting fulfillment for other prescription orders which will befilled with the same pharmaceutical. The order control subsystem 204 maythen launch orders with similar automated-fill pharmaceutical needstogether in a pallet to the automated dispensing device 130. As thedevices may be interconnected by a system of one or more conveyors orother container movement systems, the order control subsystem 204 maycontrol various conveyors to deliver the pallet from the loading device124 to the manual fulfillment device 132, for example.

The order tracking subsystem 206 may track a prescription order as itprogresses through (or stops at) various stations toward fulfillment.The order tracking subsystem 206 may track, record and/or update orderhistory, order status or the like, e.g., the prescriptions filled by thesystem 150 and the automated dispensing devices 130. The order trackingsubsystem 206 may store data locally (e.g., in a memory) or as a portionof the order data 110 stored in the storage device 108.

The order processing device 102 may be a device associated with a retailpharmacy location (e.g., an exclusive pharmacy location, a grocery storewith a retail pharmacy, or a general sales store with a retail pharmacy)or other type of pharmacy location at which a member attempts to obtaina prescription. The order processing device 102 may be utilized by thepharmacy to submit the claim to the PBM for adjudication.

Additionally, in some embodiments, the order processing device 102 mayenable information exchange between the pharmacy and the PBM, forexample, to allow the sharing of member information such as drughistory, and the like, that may allow the pharmacy to better service amember (e.g., by providing more informed therapy consultation and druginteraction information, etc.). In some embodiments, the benefit managerdevice 106 may track prescription drug fulfillment and/or otherinformation for patients that are not members or have not identifiedthemselves as members, at the time (or in conjunction with the time) inwhich they seek to have a prescription filled at a pharmacy.

The order processing device 102 may also track and/or scheduleliterature or paperwork associated with each prescription order ormultiple prescription orders that are being shipped together. Theliterature being tracked can be associated with a dosing event deliveryfrom system 150 or the automated dispensing device 130.

The order processing device 102 may include circuitry, a processor, amemory to store data and instructions, and communication functionality.The order processing device 102 is dedicated to performing processes,methods and/or instructions described herein. Other types of electronicdevices specifically configured to implement with the processes, methodsand/or instructions described herein may also be used.

The storage device 108 may include: a non-transitory storage (e.g.,memory, hard disk, CD-ROM, etc.) in communication with the benefitmanager device 106, and/or the order processing device 102 directlyand/or over the network 104. The non-transitory storage may store orderdata 110, member data 112, claims data 114, drug data 116, prescriptiondata 118, and/or plan sponsor data 120. Further, the pharmacy orderprocessing system 100 includes additional devices, including at leastone container disassembly workstation 125, tray delivery conveyors 124,picking workstations 126, inspection workstations 130, packing deliveryconveyors 132, packing workstations 134, and shipping conveyors 136,each additional device able to communicate with each other directly orover the network 104.

FIG. 3 illustrates, by way of example and not limitation, an embodimentof a product selection order filling system that may be deployed withina pharmacy order processing system such as the system of FIG. 1 . Thefigure illustrates a “controls cage”. In this embodiment, the controlscage is a more restricted or controlled-access portion of the pharmacyorder processing system 100 separate from other portions of the pharmacyorder processing system 100. The controls cage and be a separate roomwith a conveyor extending from the room. The controls cage can be metalor polymer enclosure surrounding a portion of the conveyor and otherdevice to restrict access to the caged volume. The controls cage isadapted to rapidly process, at least a portion of pharmacy orders thatinclude controlled substances having a C2, C3, C4, or C5 classification,in at least some cases from receipt of an order to shipping a packedfilled order. In this embodiment, the controls cage is separate from thenon-controlled substance portion of the pharmacy order processing system100 and includes a separate C2 cage area for processing C2 substances.In other embodiments, the controls cage is substantially continuous withthe non-controlled substance portion of the pharmacy order processingsystem 100.

In the example embodiment, the portion 300 of the pharmacy orderprocessing system 100 illustrated in FIG. 3 includes an order dosingfiller system 150, an accumulation device 140, an inspect device 126,four container sorting devices 146, a packing device 142, and multiplematerial handling devices 148 extending between at least one of theaccumulation device 140, the inspect device 126, the container sortingdevices 146, the packing device 142, a packing area, an inspect area,and a rework area. In this embodiment, the inspect device 126 is a scaleconfigured to weigh the containers 101. In other embodiments, thecontrols cage includes any number of the order filling systems, theaccumulation devices 140, the inspect devices 126, the container sortingdevices 146, the packing device 142, and the material handling devices148 arranged in any configuration that facilitates operation of thepharmacy order processing system 100 as described herein.

FIG. 4 illustrates, by way of example and not limitation, an embodimentof an order dosing filler system configured for filling at least aportion of a pharmaceutical order. In some embodiments, the order dosingfiller system 400 may be used to create individually packaged containersof drugs of a single type or of multiple different types so that theymay be conveniently taken by a person to whom the prescription drugshave been prescribed. The prescription drugs may be convenientlydispensed and packaged in a container with other prescription drugs,vitamins, other ingestibles, or the like. Additionally, the prescriptiondrugs and other products contained within each container may beassociated with a time and/or a day to reduce the chances of a patientforgetting to take their medications. For example, all of the drugstructures to be consumed at a single dosing event can be packaged in asingle container. Each dosing event may have its own unique container.In this embodiment, the order dosing filler system 400 may include anorder processing device 402, a dosing device 404, container receptacles,a container transfer device 406, a container transport assembly 408, acontainer sealing device 410, a container identifier assembly 412, acontainer inspection assembly 414, a packing area 418, a containerloading station 416, and a container holding area 422.

The order processing device 402 may be configured to receive orders forproduct selections and to communicate with the dosing device 404 that isconnected to the order processing device 402. In some embodiments, theorder reflects that instead of using a prescription bottle that retainsa single type of prescription drug, multiple containers are used toretain one or multiple types of prescription drugs respectively in eachcontainer. In an example embodiment, each container is assigned to asingle dosing event.

The dosing device 404 may be configured to dispense products incontainers. The dosing device 404 may facilitate dispensing multipledifferent types of drugs (or other product) into a single container. Byway of example, the dosing device 404 may dispense a first selection ofproducts into a first set of containers and a second selection of theproducts into a second set of containers, wherein the first selection ofthe products represents a variety of the drugs and other products andthe second selection represents another variety of the drugs and otherproducts. In some embodiments, the dosing device 404 may include atleast one dispensing and staging buffer tube extending from the dosingdevice 404 to at least one drop tube connected to at least one funnel.One or multiple dispensing and staging buffer tubes may be respectivelyextended to a drop tube connected to a funnel. Each of the dispensingand staging buffer tubes in this embodiment may be configured tofacilitate transferring selection of products from the dosing device 404to a drop tube. For example, when the dosing device 404 is providingdosing for two different types of products, at least one of the firstselection of products and the second selection of products may bedispensed from the dosing device 404 to a drop tube. Each drop tube maybe configured to facilitate receiving and transferring multiple anddiffering sizes and types of drugs and other products from the dosingdevice 404 to a funnel. The funnels may be used to facilitate guidingthe multiple types of drugs and other products that make up eachrespective product selection into containers. Suitable containers may besized similar to a single serve pod or container, such as pods used incoffee makers for making a single serving. The containers may be sizedshorter than a standard pill bottle as the present containers storedrugs for a single dosing event whereas a conventional pill bottlestores a single drug for an entire dosing schedule, e.g., 30, 60, 90days. In some embodiments, the dosing device 404 may be configured todispense any number of selections of the products that facilitatesoperation of the pharmacy order processing system 100 as describedherein. Each of the first set of the containers may be configured toreceive the first selection of the products, and each of the second setof the containers is configured to receive the second selection of theproducts based on the orders received from the order processing device402. Example buffer tubes are shown in U.S. Pat. No. 9,697,335, which isincorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

The container receptacles may be configured to receive the first set ofcontainers and the second set of the containers. More specifically, eachcontainer receptacle of the container receptacles may be configured suchthat it can receive one of the first set of the containers and one ofthe second set of the containers at a time without being reconfigured orotherwise modified. Additionally, each container may be configured to bereceived by one container receptacle of multiple container receptaclealignment apparatuses at each of the order processing device 402, thedosing device 404, the container transfer device 406, the containertransport assembly 408, the container sealing device 410, the containeridentifier assembly 412, and the container inspection assembly 414. Insome embodiments, each of the container receptacles may include a uniqueidentifier configured to facilitate identification and tracking of eachof the container receptacles during operation of the order dosing fillersystem 400. In some embodiments, each of the container receptacles maybe marked with an identifier, such as an RFID tag or a printedidentifier, for tracking purposes (e.g. tracking position and sequencingof pucks/containers).

The container transfer device 406 may be configured to selectivelytransfer the first set of the containers and the second set of thecontainers from a container holding area 422 to the containerreceptacles at a container loading station 416 based on the ordersreceived by the order processing device 402. The container transferdevice 406 may include a first set of gripper heads and a second set ofthe gripper heads. The first set of the gripper heads may be configuredto grip and to release the first set of the containers. The second setof the gripper heads may be configured to grip and to release the secondset of the containers. In an embodiment, each of the first set of thegripper heads and the second set of the gripper heads may includemultiple suction cups configured to apply a vacuum to a portion of thecontainers such that the containers are retained along the gripper headsduring transport. In some embodiments, each of the first set of thegripper heads and the second set of the gripper heads may includemechanical gripper heads configured to grip and retain the containersduring transport of the containers by the first set of the gripper headsand the second set of the gripper heads.

The container transport assembly 408 assembly may include a conveyor.The conveyor may be configured to transport the container receptaclesamong the container loading station 416, the dosing device 404, and thepacking area 418. In this embodiment, the packing area 418 may include acontainer unloading device configured to off-load the containers to apackage to store multiple containers (e.g., a 14-day supply container, a21-day supply container, a 30-day supply container, or the like). Insome embodiments, the container receptacles may be connected to theconveyor. In some embodiments, the container receptacles may be placedon the conveyor by a container receptacle transfer device in asequential order that correlates to the orders received by the orderprocessing device. In some embodiments, the containers can be off-loadedto an automated bagging system for further processing and packaging,e.g., placed in a package or bag and then labelled for shipment. In someembodiments, the conveyor may include a substantially continuous loop.In some embodiments, the conveyor may include a linear section andreturn section to return the container receptacles to the containerloading station 416.

The container sealing device 410 may be configured to seal each of thecontainers containing one of the first selection of the products and thesecond selection of the products such that each selection of the firstselection of the products and the second selection of the products isretained within a respective one of the plurality of the containers. Thesealing device may seal an inductive liner over the container to providea tamper-evident seal. In one embodiment, the container sealing devicemay include a tunnel including a lidding device configured to apply lidsto the containers. In other embodiments, the container sealing devicemay include lid manipulation device configured to connect “snap caps” tothe plurality of the containers. In some embodiments, the container mayhave two or more different types of prescription drugs contained thereinupon sealing.

In some embodiments, the container identifier assembly 412 may beconfigured to associate at least one identifier with each of thecontainers. The identifier may be used, for example, to identifyprescription drugs contained there, a person to whom the prescriptiondrug is prescriber, a date and time on which the person is to take thedrugs, and the like. The identifier may also include the name of thepharmacy filling the container. In another example, the identifierincludes the name of the prescriber. In some embodiments, the containeridentifier assembly 412 may include a bar code printer, a seal printer,and a medication identification printer. The bar code printer may beconfigured to associate a bar code with each of the containers. The barcode may be a 2D bar code, a 3D bar code, or otherwise. The seal printermay be configured to associate a timestamp with a seal of each of thecontainers. The medication identifier printer may be configured toassociate a list of one of the first selection of the products and thesecond selection of the products on each of the containers based on thereceived orders associated with each of the containers. In someembodiments, the container identifier assembly 412 may be a laserprinter, an ink-jet printer, a UV printer, a laser etching system, orthe like. In some other embodiments, the container identifier assembly412 may include an identifier device configured to associate a uniquemark with each of the container receptacles.

The container identifier assembly 412 may be configured to inspect eachof the containers. In some embodiments, multiple container sortingdevices and multiple imaging devices may be used. By way of example, thecontainer identifier assembly 412 may include a first container sortingdevice, a first imaging device, a second container sorting device, and asecond imaging device. The first container sorting device may beconfigured to rotate each of the plurality of the containers containingone of the first selection of the products and the second selection ofthe products before each of the plurality of the containers is sealed.The first imaging device may be configured to image an interior of eachof the containers to determine if one of the first selection of theproducts and the second selection of the products is present in each ofthe containers. In some embodiments, the first imaging device mayinclude the comparison functionality to determine whether the selectionsare present. In some embodiments, the first imaging devicecommunications with a different device to make the comparison andtransmit a result of the comparison. The second container sorting devicemay be configured to rotate each of the plurality of the sealedcontainers and to divert sealed containers to the staging area if thesealed containers are part of a multiple container prescription orderand the containers will be married together before packing and shipping.The second imaging device may be configured to image each of theplurality of the containers to determine if the container is sealed andto verify each of the bar codes associated with each of the plurality ofthe containers. In some embodiments, the second imaging device may beconfigured to image each container of the plurality of the containers todetermine literature associated with each of the containers and anorder. In this embodiment, the second imaging device may include atleast one of a scanner and a barcode reader.

FIG. 5 illustrates, by way of example and not limitation, an embodimentof an order dosing filler system configured for filling at least aportion of a pharmaceutical order using cups to provide dosage unitcontainers that correspond to scheduled dosing events. The illustratedembodiment may be considered to be a more specific embodiment of theorder dosing filler system 400 illustrated in FIG. 4 . The illustratedorder dosing filler system 500 in FIG. 5 includes a container transportassembly 508, which may be a conveyor system such as a vacuum conveyor.The system may transport pucks on the conveyor, where each puck is sizedand configured to receive a cup for transport on the conveyor. Forexample, pallets with pucks in the pallets may be moved on the conveyorsystem.

Individual carts/pucks may be used to transport cups on the conveyor orrail. Intelligent conveyor systems may be designed to control the speedand/or direction of lines of article motion, and may allow individualcups to be inserted or removed from the line. Intelligent conveyorsystem may be designed to enable electronic movement control ofindividual transport mechanisms (e.g. pucks or carts with or withoutpucks) for the product. For example, conveyor systems may be designedwith one or more servo motors, controlled by a programmable servocontroller, to constant movement and control electronically of anindividual puck. An example of an intelligent system may move individualcarts along rails, under electronic control, in order to enableindividual articles to be inserted and/or removed from line(s) ofarticles. Individual pucks may include a machine-readable identifier.Examples of machine-readable identifiers include, but are not limitedto, bar codes, Quick Response (QR) codes, Radio Frequency Identification(RFID), Optical Character Recognition (OCR), and the like. Theillustrated system includes puck bar code readers 524 positioned atdifferent locations around the container transport assembly 508 used toidentify the pucks as they are transported to the different stationsalong the conveyor. However, other machine-reading techniques may beused.

The system includes at least one cup load station for providing cupsonto the container transport assembly 508. The illustrated systemincludes a small cup load station 516A and a large cup load station516B. A cup magazine 522A and 522B (functioning as the container holdingareas 422 illustrated in FIG. 4 ) and a suction cup pick head 506A and506B (functioning as the container transfer device 406 in FIG. 4 ) areassociated with each of the cup load stations 516A and 516B.

Some conveyors may constantly run such that it may be desirable to slowor stop pucks or other articles in position near stations along theconveyors. Crowders may be used to help control the flow of articles(e.g. pucks, cups, and the like) on the conveyor to allow a process tobe performed on the article (e.g. fill cup, place a cap on the cup). Acrowder may be a pneumatically operated bladder that opens up to stop orslow the article on the conveyor. The air can be cycled in slowly toslow the movement and control the stop.

The container for the pill(s) may have a variety of shapes (e.g.rectilinear or substantially rectilinear, cup-shaped, and the like). Thecup-shaped container may have a generally circular foot print. Both thetop and base of the cup may have a circular cross section. The base ofthe cup may have a smaller circular cross-section than the top of thecup. Some embodiments may use a cup where both the base and top haverectilinear cross-sections. The containers are configured to provide avolume within which the desired number of pills may be dispensed withoutexcessive wasted volume. By way of example and not limitation, theapproximate dimensions of the cup may be 1.25 to 1.5 inches in diameterand 1-1.5 inches deep for the small cups and 1.5-2 inches in diameterand 2.25 inches deep for the large cups. For example, a small cup may besized to hold one or two pills and a large cup may be sized to holdthree or more pills. Each cup may correspond to a scheduled dosing eventin a multi-drug regimen. Pucks may be configured to conform to the outerdimensions and add another inch or so. A soft pneumatic bladder aroundthe outside of the puck to help cushion and control stops which may beuseful in preventing crashes that could cause the contents of the cup tospill. The cups (or other containers) may be constructed using a rigidor semi-rigid material, such as various types of polymer or plastic,configured to maintain the form of the container (e.g. cup-shaped form)in an ambient environment on the container transfer device and in apackage. By way of example, the material may include food packagingmaterials such as polyethylene. For example, the material may be madefrom recyclable polypropylene #5 plastic similar to a yogurt or buttercontainer, or cellulose polypropylene. The material may be a multi-layerblend of polymers.

After being loaded onto the conveyor (e.g. loaded into a puck), the cupsmay be transported to the next station which is illustrated as thedosing device 504 which is configured to fill the cup with the pill(s)for the scheduled dosing event associated with the cup. A crowder may beused to hold the puck/cup in place for the pills to be dispensed via abuffer tube and funnel into the cup. Alternatively, by way of exampleand not limitation, the conveyor may be intermittently stopped or slowedto allow the cup to be filled. The spacing of the cups may be controlledso that a cup is next to each station when the motion stops. Anintelligent transport system may be used to independently control motionof each cup to allow the cups to be filled. The intelligent transportsystem may track the location of each cup as it travels between stationson the conveyor. For example, the system may be designed to dispensepill(s) into a cup within a second.

A camera image station 514A, which may form part of the containerinspection assembly 414 illustrated in FIG. 4 , may be used to verifythat the correct pills are dispensed into the correct cup for thescheduled dosing event. For example, a camera may be used to verifycolor, size and/or shape of the pill(s). An ultrasonic sensor may beused to provide ultrasonic imaging for verifying the contents of thecup.

The container sealing device 410 illustrated in FIG. 4 may include asnap cap applicator 510A configured to snap a cap, which may be storedin a magazine of caps, onto the cup. A crowder may be used to hold thepuck/cup in place for the cap to be attached. The cap may include lineron the inside of the cap. The liner may be configured to provide atamper evident seal. In some embodiments the cap may include aninduction liner on the inside of the cap. By way of example and notlimitation, the induction liner may include a foil such as aluminumalong with other coatings such as paper, wax and polymer. The cap orliner may include a metal/polymer laminate structure. The inductionliner forms a tamper evident, hermetic seal with the cup as it travelsthrough the induction tunnel 510B. The sealed cup may be labeled at 526with identification information for the scheduled dosing event. Forexample, the identification information may include at least some of adate and/or day, a time, a list of medicines within the container,dosage of medicine, and a patient name. Other tamper-evident cap sealsmay be used.

The container inspection assembly 414 illustrated in FIG. 4 may furtherinclude a vision inspection station 514B to verify the sealed cup and aspin scan station 514C to determine if the cup should be accumulated(via an accumulation area 528) with other cups, product or literaturebefore being packaged for shipment to the patient, or if the cups cancontinue to be transported to the packing area 518 (e.g. bagger), whichmay be used to package a 14, 21 or 30 day supply of medicine.

FIG. 6 illustrates, by way of example and not limitation, an embodimentof an order dosing filler system configured for filling at least aportion of a pharmaceutical order using cups to provide dosage unitcontainers that correspond to scheduled dosing events. The illustratedembodiment may be considered to be a more specific embodiment of theorder dosing filler system 400 illustrated in FIG. 4 . The illustratedorder dosing filler system 600 in FIG. 6 includes a container transportsystem 608 includes a structure configured to rotate about a verticalaxis, wherein the structure has a surface upon which a number of theplurality of containers (e.g. cups) may be positioned and transported asthe structure rotates about the vertical axis. The structure may bereferred to as a dial machine, an indexer or a rotary assembly table.The dial or wheel may be made of metal, and may have a spot cut out inwhich a cup may be placed, allowing the cups to go from point-to-pointor station-to station. For example, the structure may be configured torotate in the clockwise direction. By way of example and not limitation,the motion may be may be intermittent (e.g. under servo control) so thatthe cups stop for a moment at each station. The spacing of the cups maybe controlled so that a cup is next to each station when the motion ofthe structure stops. The speed of rotation may be determined by thespeed of the slowest station (e.g. about 1 second for filling cups withmedicine). Similar to the system of FIG. 5 , the system of FIG. 6 mayinclude bar code readers (or other mechanisms for machine reading thearticles (e.g. pucks) as they are transported among the stations.

The system includes at least one cup load station for providing cupsonto the container transport assembly 608. The illustrated systemincludes a small cup load station 616A and a large cup load station616B, which may be similar to the cup load stations in FIG. 5

After being loaded onto the container transport system (e.g. dialmachine, indexer or rotary assembly table), the cups may be transportedto the next station which is illustrated as the dosing device 604 whichis configured to fill the cup with the pill(s) for the scheduled dosingevent associated with the cup. For example, the system may be designedto dispense pill(s) into a cup within a second. A camera image station614A, which may form part of the container inspection assembly 414illustrated in FIG. 4 , may be used to verify that the correct pills aredispensed into the correct cup for the scheduled dosing event. Forexample, a camera may be used to verify color, size and/or shape of thepill(s). An ultrasonic sensor may be used to verify the contents of thecup. In an example, the contents of the cups can be verified using themethods and structures described in U.S. Pat. No. 10,151,735, titledSolid Contents Verification Systems and Methods, which is herebyincorporated by reference.

The container sealing device 410 illustrated in FIG. 4 may include asnap cap applicator 610A configured to snap a cap, which may be storedin a magazine of caps, onto the cup. A crowder may be used to hold thepuck/cup in place for the cap to be attached. The cap may include aninduction liner on the inside of the lid. The induction liner forms ahermetic seal with the cup as it travels through the induction tunnel610B. The sealed cup may be labeled at 626 with identificationinformation for the scheduled dosing event. For example, theidentification information may include at least some of a date and/orday, a time, a list of medicines within the container, and dosage ofmedicine. A patient name and/or prescription number may be included withthe identification medication.

The container inspection assembly 414 illustrated in FIG. 4 may furtherinclude a vision inspection station 614B to verify the sealed cup and ascan station 614C to determine if the cup should be accumulated withother cups, product or literature before being packaged for shipment tothe patient, or if the cups can continue to be transported to thepacking area 618 (e.g. bagger), which may be used to package a 14, 21 or30 day supply of medicine.

If there is an issue or problem with a particular container, thecontainer may be sent to the accumulator for resolution. Also, thesystem may be configured so that if there in issue with an entire box,that entire box may be separated and sent to the QA conveyor forresolution. As shown, there are also several barcode readers tofacilitate accurate dispensing.

These systems and processes are capable of providing a drug package forshipment. The drug package includes drugs used in a multi-drug regimenhaving a plurality of scheduled dosing events. The drug package includesa plurality of dosage unit containers corresponding to the plurality ofscheduled dosing events for the multi-drug regimen. Each of theplurality of dosage unit containers contain one or more types of drugsfor the multi-drug regimen. Each of the plurality of dosage unitcontainers are formed from a material to maintain a cup shape in anambient environment and having an induction liner providing a hermeticseal that is tamper evident. Each of the dosage unit containers may belabeled with a corresponding one of the plurality of dosing times, and aname for each of the one more types of drugs contained with the dosageunit container. The label (or ink jet or laser printing) may alsoinclude a dosage for the drugs. Each of the dosage unit containers islabeled with a timestamp indicative of a seal time.

FIG. 7 illustrates a process flow of an embodiment of a method forfilling at least a portion of a pharmaceutical order. At block 702, afirst selection of products may be dispensed into a first set ofcontainers and a second selection of the products are dispensed into asecond set of the containers. In some embodiments, the containers may beconfigured at block 702 to receive respective product based on thereceived orders (e.g., by the order processing device 402). Theoperations performed at block 702 may be performed by the dosing device404 or otherwise. The first set of the containers and the second set ofthe containers may be transferred at block 704 from a container holdingarea 422 to container receptacles at a container loading station basedon the orders. The transfer may be performed by the container transferdevice 406 or otherwise. In some embodiments, the container transferdevice 406 may include a first set of gripper heads and a second set ofgripper heads that are respectively configured to grip and to releasethe first set of the containers and the second set of the containers. Atblock 706, the container receptacles may be circulating among thecontainer loading station 416, the dosing device 404 and the packingarea 418 that includes a bagger device. The operations performed atblock 706 may be performed by the container transport assembly 408, ormay otherwise be performed. The container receptacles may becontinuously circulated among the container loading station 416, thedosing device 404, and the packing area 418 along a circular path thatenables the containers to be inserted and removed from the containerreceptacles at the desired locations without requiring an apparatus toreposition and/or re-stage the container receptacles for each cycle ofeach container receptacle. At block 708, the containers may be sealedsuch that the selections of the products are retained within each of thecontainers. The operations performed at block 708 may be performed bythe container sealing device 410, or may otherwise be performed. Anidentifier may be associated with each of the containers at block 710.Each identifier may be associated with a container receptacle and mayinclude a barcode affixed, etched, and/or otherwise applied to thecontainer receptacle. The identifier may include information includingcontainer receptacle identifying information, prescription orderinformation, patient information, and drug information, for example. Theoperations performed at block 710 may be performed using the containeridentifier assembly 412, or may otherwise be performed. At block 712, atleast some of the containers and/or the container receptacles areinspected. The operations performed at block 712 may be performed usingthe container inspection assembly 414, or may otherwise be performed.

FIG. 8 illustrates a process flow of an embodiment of a method forfilling at least a portion of a pharmaceutical order. At 850,pharmaceutical orders including order for drugs used in multi-drugregimens using an order processing device may be received. Each of themulti-drug regimen may have a plurality of scheduled dosing events. At852, containers (e.g. cups) may be transferred to a container transportsystem. At 854, containers may be transported to a dosing device usingthe container transport system. The dosing device may be used todispense drugs for scheduled dosing events into the containers based onthe received pharmaceutical orders. Each of the containers correspondsto a respective one of the pluralities of scheduled dosing events. At856, the containers with the dispensed drugs may be transported, usingthe container transport system, to the container sealing device, andusing the container sealing device to seal the plurality of thecontainers with the dispensed drugs. Each container may retain one ormore drugs for one of the multi-drug regimens. Each container mayprovide a dosage unit container corresponding to one of the plurality ofscheduled dosing events for one of the multi-drug regimens. At 858, thedosage unit containers may be transported, using the container transportsystem, to the container identifier assembly. The container identifierassembly may be used to identify the dosage unit containers based on thereceived pharmaceutical order. At 860, the dosage unite containers maybe transported, using the container transport system, to the inspectionassembly. The inspection assembly may be used to inspect each of thedosage unit containers. At 862, the dosage unit containers may bepackaged for delivery. The package (e.g. bag or box or other package)may include dosage unit containers for a supply period (e.g. 7-daysupply, 14-day supply, 21-day supply, 30-day supply, 60-day supply,etc.). A supply period, by way of example and not limitation, maycorrespond to a time during which an amount of medicine can be taken asprescribed. Pharmacies may distribute prescribed medicine for a supplyperiod. The package may include other products, such as but not limitedto other prescription or non-prescription drugs, other health-carerelated products, or literature such as literature concerning thepackaged drugs.

FIG. 9 illustrates, by way of example and not limitation, a plurality ofdosage unit containers that contain drug(s) for a scheduled dosing eventfor a supply period of a multi-drug regimen. A multi-drug regimen mayinclude at least two different types of drugs that are to beadministered at different times over the course of a day. By way ofexample and not limitation, a first drug and second drug may be taken inthe morning at breakfast, a third drug may be taken around noon, and thefirst and a fourth drug may be taken in the evening. This example hasthree scheduled dosing events (e.g. morning, noon and evening) per day.In another example, the dosing regimen may include one dosing event perday (or over another time period). Each dosing event may include one ormore of the drugs used within the multi-drug regimen. Different dosingevents may include different drug(s). The drug(s) for each dosing eventmay be within its own separate container, referred to herein as a dosageunit container. In an example, the dosage unit containers may beconsecutively connected to the next container in a schedule ofindividual doses. A package may include the drugs ordered over thecourse of a supply period (e.g. 30-day supply of medicine, 60-day supplymedicine or 90-day supply of medicine), and thus may include acorresponding number of the dosage unit containers over the course ofthe supply period.

FIGS. 10A-10B illustrate, by way of example and not limitation, views ofan example of a container 1072 within a puck 1070; and FIGS. 10C-10Eillustrate, by way of example and not limitation, an example of acontainer 1072. A puck 1070 may include a receptacle sized and shaped toreceive a container 1072. Such containers 1072 may be supported by pucks1070 during carriage in the pallet or other structure. Different pucksmay have differently sized and shaped receptacles to accommodatecontainers of differing sizes, as may be appropriate for differentprescriptions that may have different sized pill(s) for scheduled dosingevents. In the illustrated embodiment, the puck 1070 has a receptaclethat is sized and shaped to receive the bottom portion or base 1076 ofthe container (e.g. base with a circular footprint and walls from thebase to a top where the top is a circular footprint larger than thebase).

The illustrated container 1072 has an open top 1074 and a closed base1076. The container may have a shape configured for nesting with othercontainers. For example, the base 1076 of the container 1072 may have afirst dimension (e.g. circular footprint with a first diameter) and thetop 1074 of the container 1072 may have a second dimension (e.g.circular foot print with a second diameter) that is larger than the base1076. Thus, the containers may be stacked within each other, which maybe a desirable characteristic for a container magazine designed to storecontainers and present containers for placement on a container transportsystem. The top of the illustrated container 1072 has a lip configuredto cooperate with a snap cap such that the snap cap is able to snap ontothe container. The container 1072 may have a sloping side wall 1078extending from the base 1076 to the top 1074 of the container 1072. Thesloping side wall 1078 may also be configured to enable the containersto nest within each other in a stacked configuration.

The containers 1072 may be configured to provide a volume within whichthe desired number of pills may be dispensed without excessive wastedvolume. By way of example and not limitation, the approximate dimensionsof the cup may be 1.25 to 1.5 inches in diameter and 1-1.5 inches deepfor the small cups and 1.5-2 inches in diameter and 2.25 inches deep forthe large cups. Cups may be designed with a volume to hold the pill(s)for a scheduled dosing event. For example, a small cup may be sized tohold one or two pills and a large cup may be sized to hold three or morepills. The resulting cup with the larger top 1074, smaller base 1076 andsloped side walls 1078 may be configured to nest within each other in astack of cups. Each container (e.g. cup) may correspond to a scheduleddosing event in a multi-drug regimen. Pucks 1070 may be configured toconform to the outer dimensions and add another inch or so.

The cups (or other containers) may be constructed using a rigid orsemi-rigid material, such as various types of polymer or plastic,configured to maintain the form of the container (e.g. cup-shaped form)in an ambient environment on the container transfer device and in apackage. By way of example, the material may include food packagingmaterials such as polyethylene. For example, the material may be madefrom recyclable polypropylene #5 plastic similar to a yogurt or buttercontainer, or cellulose polypropylene. The material may be a multi-layerblend of polymers. The thickness of the side walls 1078 may be designed,based on the material used to construct the container, to provide thedesirable characteristics of the container. By way of example and notlimitation, desirable characteristics may include one or more of thefollowing: packaging safety for ingestibles (e.g. similar to foodpackaging safety), cost to manufacture, recyclability, and/or strength(e.g. strong enough to maintain the form of the container on thecontainer transfer device or within packages during transit). Adesirable characteristic may be to avoid an overly-strong containerwhich may indicate wasted material. Thus, for example, the containersmay be constructed to be weak enough for a person to easily squeeze thecontainer in the person's hand to collapse the container, yet be strongenough to maintain the form of the container on the container transferdevice or within packages during transit.

The container for the pill(s) may have a variety of shapes (e.g.rectilinear or substantially rectilinear shapes, cup-shaped includingshapes with a circular bottom and a circular top, and the like). Boththe top 1074 and the base 1076 of the container may have a similarshape. In some embodiments where the top and bottom have similar shapes,the top with the open end have a larger shape than the bottom with theclosed end. For example, the cup-shaped container may have a generallycircular foot print. Both the top and base of the cup may have acircular cross section, and the base of the cup may have a smallercircular cross-section than the top of the cup. Some embodiments may usea cup where both the base and top have rectilinear cross-sections.

In one aspect, the subject matter may provide an order dosing fillersystem that includes an order processing device to receive orders, adosing device connected to the order processing device. The dosingdevice may be configured to dispense a first selection of products intoa first set of a plurality of containers and a second selection of theproducts into a second set of the plurality of the containers. Each ofthe first set of the plurality of the containers may be configured toreceive the first selection of the products and each of the second setof the plurality of the containers configured to receive the secondselection of the products based on the received orders. The order dosingfiller system may include a plurality of container receptaclesconfigured to receive the first set of the plurality of the containersand the second set of the plurality of the containers, and may include acontainer transfer device configured to selectively transfer the firstset of the plurality of the containers and the second set of theplurality of the containers from a container holding area to thecontainer receptacles at a container loading station based on theorders. The container transfer device may include a first set of gripperheads and a second set of the gripper heads. The first set of thegripper heads may be configured to grip and to release the first set ofthe plurality of the containers. The second set of the gripper heads maybe configured to grip and to release the second set of the plurality ofthe containers. The order dosing filler system may include a containertransport assembly including a conveyor. The conveyor may be configuredto circulate the plurality of the container receptacles among at leastthe container loading station, the dosing device, and a packing areaincluding a bagger device. The order dosing filler system may include acontainer sealing device configured to seal to at least a portion ofeach of the plurality of the containers containing one of the firstselection of the products and the second selection of the products suchthat each selection of the first selection of the products and thesecond selection of the products is retained within a respective one ofthe plurality of the containers. The order dosing filler system mayinclude a container identifier assembly configured to associate at leastone identifier with each of the plurality of the containers. Thecontainer identifier assembly may include a bar code printer configuredto associate a bar code with each of the plurality of the containers, aseal printer configured to associate a timestamp with a seal of each ofthe plurality of the containers, and a medication identifier printerconfigured to associate a list of one of the first selection of theproducts and the second selection of the products on each of theplurality of the containers based on the received orders associated witheach of the plurality of the containers. The order dosing filler systemmay include an inspection assembly configured to inspect each of theplurality of the containers. The inspection assembly may include a firstcontainer sorting device configured to at least one of rotate each ofthe plurality of the containers containing one of the first selection ofthe products and the second selection of the products before each of theplurality of the containers is sealed and divert at least one of theplurality of the containers to a separate staging area, an first imagingdevice configured to image an interior of each of the plurality of thecontainers to determine if one of the first selection of the productsand the second selection of the products is present in each of theplurality of the containers, a second container sorting deviceconfigured to one of rotate each of the plurality of the sealedcontainers and divert at least one of the plurality of the sealedcontainers to the staging area, and a second imaging device configuredto image each of the plurality of the containers to determine if thecontainer is sealed and to verify each of the bar codes associated witheach of the plurality of the containers. The second imaging device mayinclude at least one of a scanner and a barcode reader.

In one aspect, the subject matter may provide an order dosing fillersystem that includes an order processing device to receive orders, and adosing device connected to the order processing device and configured todispense a first selection of products into a first set of a pluralityof containers and a second selection of the products into a second setof the plurality of the containers. Each of the first set of theplurality of the containers may be configured to receive the firstselection of the products and each of the second set of the plurality ofthe containers configured to receive the second selection of theproducts based on the received orders. The order dosing filler systemmay include a plurality of container receptacles configured to receivethe first set of the plurality of the containers and the second set ofthe plurality of the containers, and a container transfer deviceconfigured to selectively transfer the first set of the plurality of thecontainers and the second set of the plurality of the containers from acontainer holding area to the container receptacles at a containerloading station based on the orders. The order dosing filler system mayinclude a container transport assembly including a conveyor. Theconveyor may circulate the plurality of the container receptacles amongat least the container loading station, the dosing device, and a packingarea including a bagger device. The order dosing filler system mayinclude a container sealing device configured to seal to at least aportion of each of the plurality of the containers containing on of thefirst selection of the products and the second selection of the productssuch that the products are retained within each of the plurality of thecontainers. The order dosing filler system may include a containeridentifier assembly configured to associate at least one identifier witheach of the plurality of the containers, the container identifierassembly including at least one of a bar code printer, a seal printer,and a medication identifier printer, and an inspection assemblyconfigured to inspect each of the plurality of the containers, theinspection assembly including at least one of a container sorting deviceand an imaging device.

In one aspect, the subject matter may provide a method of filling anorder of a plurality of orders with a dosing filler system. The methodmay include dispensing, using a dosing device, a first selection ofproducts into a first set of a plurality of containers and a secondselection of the products into a second set of the plurality of thecontainers. Each of the first set of the plurality of the containers maybe configured to receive the first selection of the products and each ofthe second set of the plurality of the containers may be configured toreceive the second selection of the products based on the plurality ofthe orders. The method may include selectively transferring, using acontainer transfer device, the first set of the plurality of thecontainers and the second set of the plurality of the containers from acontainer holding area to a plurality of container receptacles at acontainer loading station based on the orders. The container transferdevice may include a first set of gripper heads and a second set of thegripper heads. The first set of the gripper heads may be configured togrip and to release the first set of the plurality of the containers.The second set of the gripper heads is configured to grip and releasethe second set of the plurality of the containers. The method mayinclude circulating, using a container transport assembly, the pluralityof the container receptacles among at least the container loadingstation, the dosing device, and a packing area including a baggerdevice. The method may include sealing, using a container sealingdevice, at least a portion of each of the plurality of the containerscontaining the products such that the selections of the products areretained within each of the plurality of the containers. The method mayinclude associating, using a container identifier assembly, anidentifier with each of the plurality of the containers, and may includeinspecting, using an inspection assembly, at least one of each of theplurality of the containers and each of the plurality of the containerreceptacles.

The term “based on” or using, as used herein, reflects an open-endedterm that can reflect others elements beyond those explicitly recited.Certain systems, apparatus, applications or processes are describedherein as including a number of modules. A module may be a unit ofdistinct functionality that may be presented in software, hardware, orcombinations thereof. When the functionality of a module is performed inany part through software, the module includes a computer-readablemedium. The modules may be regarded as being communicatively coupled.

The embodiments of the present disclosure generally provide for aplurality of circuits or other electrical devices, which can be used inunits, modules, systems, and sub-systems and the like. All references tosuch and the functionality provided by each are not intended to belimited to encompassing only what is illustrated and described herein.While particular labels may be assigned to the various circuits or otherelectrical devices disclosed, such labels are not intended to limit thescope of operation for the circuits and the other electrical devices.Such circuits and other electrical devices may be combined with eachother and/or separated in any manner based on the particular type ofelectrical/operational implementation that is desired. It is recognizedthat any circuit or other electrical device disclosed herein may includeany number of microprocessors, discrete circuit components, integratedcircuits, memory devices (e.g., FLASH, random access memory (RAM), readonly memory (ROM), electrically programmable read only memory (EPROM),electrically erasable programmable read only memory (EEPROM), or othersuitable variants thereof, etc.) and instructions (e.g., software, etc.)which co-act with one another to perform operation(s) disclosed herein.In addition, any one or more than one electric device may be configuredto execute a computer-program that is embodied in a computer readablemedium that is programmed to perform any number of the functions andfeatures as disclosed. The computer readable medium may benon-transitory or in any form readable by a machine or electricalcomponent.

At least some portions of the present disclosure may be accomplished byusing a robot. A robot can be a machine capable of carrying out acomplex series of actions automatically. These complex series of actionsmay include picking up, orientating, positioning and/or releasing aprescription component, a pill, a container or other structure. Therobot may be dedicated to a single series of movements or may be able toexecute multiple series of movements. A robot may include a processorthat received instructions and then executes instructions to control itsmovement. In another example, a robot may resemble a human being andreplicate certain human movements and functions, may move location, havean articulated arm, have grasping structures that replicate fingers anddo not damage containers, and the like.

Methods and systems for pharmacy order processing, including dispensingat least a first selection of products into a first set of containersand a second selection of the products into a second set of thecontainers and inspecting, sealing, sorting, and packing the containershave been described. Although embodiments of the present disclosure havebeen described with reference to specific example embodiments, it willbe evident that various modifications and changes may be made to theseembodiments without departing from the broader spirit and scope of theembodiments of the disclosure. Accordingly, the specification anddrawings are to be regarded in an illustrative rather than a restrictivesense.

The methods described herein do not have to be executed in the orderdescribed, or in any particular order. Moreover, various activitiesdescribed with respect to the methods identified herein can be executedin serial or parallel fashion. Although “End” blocks may be shown in theflowcharts, the methods may be performed continuously.

In the foregoing, it can be seen that various features are groupedtogether in a single embodiment for the purpose of streamlining thedisclosure. This method of disclosure is not to be interpreted asreflecting an intention that the claimed embodiments require morefeatures than are expressly recited in each claim. Rather, as thefollowing claims reflect, inventive subject matter may lie in less thanall features of a single disclosed embodiment. Thus, the followingclaims are hereby incorporated into the Detailed Description, with eachclaim standing on its own as a separate embodiment.

The foregoing description is merely illustrative in nature and is in noway intended to limit the disclosure, its application, or uses. Thebroad teachings of the disclosure can be implemented in a variety offorms. Therefore, while this disclosure includes particular examples,the true scope of the disclosure should not be so limited since othermodifications will become apparent upon a study of the drawings, thespecification, and the following claims. It should be understood thatone or more than one steps within a method may be executed in differentorder (or concurrently) without altering the principles of the presentdisclosure. Further, although each of the embodiments is described aboveas having certain features, any one or more than one of those featuresdescribed with respect to any embodiment of the disclosure can beimplemented in and/or combined with features of any of the otherembodiments, even if that combination is not explicitly described. Inother words, the described embodiments are not mutually exclusive, andpermutations of one or more than one embodiments with one another remainwithin the scope of this disclosure.

Spatial and functional relationships between elements (for example,between modules, circuit elements, semiconductor layers, etc.) aredescribed using various terms, including “connected,” “engaged,”“coupled,” “adjacent,” “next to,” “on top of” “above,” “below,” and“disposed.” Unless explicitly described as being “direct,” when arelationship between first and second elements is described in the abovedisclosure, that relationship can be a direct relationship where noother intervening elements are present between the first and secondelements, but can also be an indirect relationship where one or morethan one intervening elements are present (either spatially orfunctionally) between the first and second elements. As used herein, thephrase at least one of A, B, and C should be construed to mean a logical(A OR B OR C), using a non-exclusive logical OR, and should not beconstrued to mean “at least one of A, at least one of B, and at leastone of C.”

In this application, including the definitions below, the term ‘module’or the term ‘controller’ may be replaced with the term ‘circuit.’ Theterm ‘module’ may refer to, be part of, or include: an ApplicationSpecific Integrated Circuit (ASIC); a digital, analog, or mixedanalog/digital discrete circuit; a digital, analog, or mixedanalog/digital integrated circuit; a combinational logic circuit; afield programmable gate array (FPGA); a processor circuit (shared,dedicated, or group) that executes code; a memory circuit (shared,dedicated, or group) that stores code executed by the processor circuit;other suitable hardware components that provide the describedfunctionality; or a combination of some or all of the above, such as ina system-on-chip.

The module may include one or more than one interface circuits. In someexamples, the interface circuits may include wired or wirelessinterfaces that are connected to a local area network (LAN), theInternet, a wide area network (WAN), or combinations thereof. Thefunctionality of any given module of the present disclosure may bedistributed among multiple modules that are connected via interfacecircuits. For example, multiple modules may allow load balancing. In afurther example, a server (also known as remote, or cloud) module mayaccomplish some functionality on behalf of a client module.

The term code, as used above, may include software, firmware, and/ormicrocode, and may refer to programs, routines, functions, classes, datastructures, and/or objects. The term shared processor circuitencompasses a single processor circuit that executes some or all codefrom multiple modules. The term group processor circuit encompasses aprocessor circuitry that, in combination with additional processorcircuits, executes some or all code from one or more than one modules.References to multiple processor circuits encompass multiple processorcircuits on discrete dies, multiple processor circuits on a single die,multiple cores of a single processor circuit, multiple threads of asingle processor circuit, or a combination of the above. The term sharedmemory circuit encompasses a single memory circuit that stores some orall code from multiple modules. The term group memory circuitencompasses a memory circuit that, in combination with additionalmemories, stores some or all code from one or more than one modules.

The term memory circuit is a subset of the term computer-readablemedium. The term computer-readable medium, as used herein, does notencompass transitory electrical or electromagnetic signals propagatingthrough a medium (such as on a carrier wave); the term computer-readablemedium may therefore be considered tangible and non-transitory.Non-limiting examples of a non-transitory, tangible computer-readablemedium are nonvolatile memory circuits (such as a flash memory circuit,an erasable programmable read-only memory circuit, or a mask read-onlymemory circuit), volatile memory circuits (such as a static randomaccess memory circuit or a dynamic random access memory circuit),magnetic storage media (such as an analog or digital magnetic tape or ahard disk drive), and optical storage media (such as a CD, a DVD, or aBlu-ray Disc).

The systems and methods described in this application may be partiallyor fully implemented by a special purpose computer created byconfiguring a general purpose computer to execute one or more than oneparticular functions embodied in computer programs. The functionalblocks and flowchart elements described above serve as softwarespecifications, which can be translated into the computer programs bythe routine work of a skilled technician or programmer.

The computer programs include processor-executable instructions that arestored on at least one non-transitory, tangible computer-readablemedium. The computer programs may also include or rely on stored data.The computer programs may encompass a basic input/output system (BIOS)that interacts with hardware of the special purpose computer, devicedrivers that interact with particular devices of the special purposecomputer, one or more than one operating systems, user applications,background services, background applications, etc.

The computer programs may include: (i) descriptive text to be parsed,such as HTML (hypertext markup language) or XML (extensible markuplanguage), (ii) assembly code, (iii) object code generated from sourcecode by a compiler, (iv) source code for execution by an interpreter,(v) source code for compilation and execution by a just-in-timecompiler, etc. As examples only, source code may be written using syntaxfrom languages including C, C++, C#, Objective-C, Swift, Haskell, Go,SQL, R, Lisp, Java®, Fortran, Perl, Pascal, Curl, OCaml, Javascript®,HTML5 (Hypertext Markup Language 5th revision), Ada, ASP (Active ServerPages), PHP (PHP: Hypertext Preprocessor), Scala, Eiffel, Smalltalk,Erlang, Ruby, Flash®, Visual Basic®, Lua, MATLAB, SIMULINK, and Python®.

None of the elements recited in the claims are intended to be ameans-plus-function element within the meaning of 35 U.S.C. § 112(f)unless an element is expressly recited using the phrase “means for,” orin the case of a method claim using the phrases “operation for” or “stepfor.”

Embodiments for pharmacy order processing, including dispensing at leasta first selection of products into a first set of containers and asecond selection of the products into a second set of the containers andinspecting, sealing, sorting, and packing the containers, are describedabove in detail. The systems and methods of operating such systems arenot limited to the specific embodiments described herein, but rather,components of systems and/or steps of the methods may be utilizedindependently and separately from other components and/or stepsdescribed herein. For example, the methods may also be used incombination with other systems and environments and are not limited tothe environments as described herein. Rather, the embodiments can beimplemented and utilized in connection with many other applications.

In this specification and the claims, reference is made to a number ofterms, which shall be defined to have the following meanings:

The singular forms “a”, “an”, and “the” include plural references unlessthe context clearly dictates otherwise.

“Optional” or “optionally” means that the subsequently described eventor circumstance may or may not occur, and that the description includesinstances where the event occurs and instances where it does not.

The term “non-transitory computer-readable media” is intended to berepresentative of any tangible computer-based device implemented in anymethod or technology for short-term and long-term storage ofinformation, such as, computer-readable instructions, data structures,program modules and sub-modules, or other data in any device. Therefore,the methods described herein may be encoded as executable instructionsembodied in a tangible, non-transitory, computer readable medium,including, without limitation, a storage device and/or a memory device.Such instructions, when executed by a processor, cause the processor toperform at least a portion of the methods described herein. Moreover, asused herein, the term “non-transitory computer-readable media” includesall tangible, computer-readable media, including, without limitation,non-transitory computer storage devices, including, without limitation,volatile and nonvolatile media, and removable and non-removable mediasuch as a firmware, physical and virtual storage, cd-roms, dvds, and anyother digital source such as a network or the internet, as well as yetto be developed digital means, with the sole exception being atransitory, propagating signal.

The terms “software” and “firmware” are interchangeable, and include anycomputer program stored in memory for execution by devices that include,without limitation, mobile devices, clusters, personal computers,workstations, clients, and servers.

The term “computer” and related terms, e.g., “computing device”, are notlimited to integrated circuits referred to in the art as a computer, butbroadly refers to a microcontroller, a microcomputer, a programmablelogic controller (plc), an application specific integrated circuit, andother programmable circuits, and these terms are used interchangeablyherein.

Computer systems are described, and such computer systems include aprocessor and a memory. However, any processor in a computer devicereferred to may also refer to one or more processors wherein theprocessor may be in one computing device or a plurality of computingdevices acting in parallel, such as in a cloud computing environment.Additionally, any memory in a computer device referred to may also referto one or more memories, wherein the memories may be in one computingdevice or a plurality of computing devices acting in parallel.

A processor may include any programmable system including systems usingmicro-controllers, reduced instruction set circuits (risc), applicationspecific integrated circuits (asics), logic circuits, and any othercircuit or processor capable of executing the functions describedherein. The above examples are example only, and are thus not intendedto limit in any way the definition and/or meaning of the term“processor.” The term “database” may refer to either a body of data, arelational database management system (rdbms), or to both. A databasemay include any collection of data including hierarchical databases,relational databases, flat file databases, object-relational databases,object oriented databases, and any other structured collection ofrecords or data that is stored in a computer system. The above are onlyexamples, and thus are not intended to limit in any way the definitionand/or meaning of the term database. Examples of rdbms's include, butare not limited to including, Oracle® Database, Mysql, IBM® Db2,Microsoft® Sql Server, Sybase®, and Postgresql. However, any databasemay be used that enables the systems and methods described herein.(oracle is a registered trademark of Oracle Corporation, Redwood Shores,California; IBM is a registered trademark of International BusinessMachines Corporation, Armonk, New York; Microsoft is a registeredtrademark of Microsoft Corporation, Redmond, Washington; and Sybase is aregistered trademark of Sybase, Dublin, California)

In some embodiments, a computer program is embodied on a computerreadable medium. In other embodiments, the system is executed on asingle computer system, without requiring a connection to a servercomputer. In still other embodiments, the system is run in a Windows®environment (windows is a registered trademark of Microsoft corporation,Redmond, Washington). In yet another embodiment, the system is run on amainframe environment and a Unix® server environment (Unix is aregistered trademark of x/open company limited located in reading,Berkshire, United Kingdom). The application is flexible and designed torun in various different environments without compromising any majorfunctionality. In some embodiments, the system includes multiplecomponents distributed among a plurality of computing devices. One ormore components may be in the form of computer-executable instructionsembodied in a computer-readable medium.

Approximating language, as used herein throughout the specification andclaims, may be applied to modify any quantitative representation thatcould permissibly vary without resulting in a change in the basicfunction to which it is related. Accordingly, a value modified by a termor terms, such as “about” and “substantially”, are not to be limited tothe precise value specified. In at least some instances, theapproximating language may correspond to the precision of an instrumentfor measuring the value. Here and throughout the specification andclaims, range limitations may be combined and/or interchanged; suchranges are identified and include all the sub-ranges contained thereinunless context or language indicates otherwise.

The inventive subject matter may be represented in a variety ofdifferent embodiments of which there are many possible permutations.Although specific features of various embodiments of the invention maybe shown in some drawings and not in others, this is for convenienceonly. In accordance with the principles of the invention, any feature ofa drawing may be referenced and/or claimed in combination with anyfeature of any other drawing. This written description uses examples todisclose the invention, including the best mode, and also to enable anyperson skilled in the art to practice the invention, including makingand using any devices or systems and performing any incorporatedmethods. The patentable scope of the invention is defined by the claims,and may include other examples that occur to those skilled in the art.Such other examples are intended to be within the scope of the claims ifthey have structural elements that do not differ from the literallanguage of the claims, or if they include equivalent structuralelements with insubstantial differences from the literal language of theclaims.

The above detailed description is intended to be illustrative, and notrestrictive. The scope of the disclosure should, therefore, bedetermined with references to the appended claims, along with the fullscope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled.

What is claimed is:
 1. An order dosing filler system comprising: anorder processing device configured to receive pharmaceutical ordersincluding orders for drugs used in multi-drug regimens, wherein each ofthe multi-drug regimens has a plurality of scheduled dosing events; acontainer transport system; a container transfer device configured totransfer containers to the container transport system, and the containertransport system is configured to transport the containers to a dosingdevice, a container sealing device, a container identifier assembly, andan inspection assembly, wherein: the dosing device is configured tocommunicate with the order processing device and configured to dispensedrugs for scheduled dosing times into the containers based on thereceived pharmaceutical orders, wherein each of the containerscorresponds to a respective one of the plurality of scheduled dosingevents, and the container transport system is configured to transportthe containers with the dispensed drugs to the container sealing device;the container sealing device is configured to seal to the plurality ofthe containers with the dispensed drugs, wherein each container retainsone or more drugs for one of the multi-drug regimens providing a dosageunit container corresponding to one of the plurality of scheduled dosingevents for one of the multi-drug regimens; the container identifierassembly is configured to identify the dosage unit containers based onthe received pharmaceutical order; and the inspection assembly isconfigured to inspect each of the dosage unit containers; and whereinthe container sealing device includes: a first content securing deviceoperably connected to the order processing device to apply a firstcontent securing apparatus to the container containing the items fromthe dosing device with the first content securing apparatus is selected,wherein the first content securing device is configured to sense a firstapplication force to the content securing apparatus when applying thefirst content securing apparatus to the container to verify applicationof the first application force; and a second content securing deviceoperably connected to the order processing device to apply a secondcontent securing apparatus to the container containing the items fromthe dosing device when the second content securing apparatus is selectedalternatively from the first content securing device based oninstruction from the order processing device, wherein the second contentsecuring device is configured to sense a second application force to thesecond content securing apparatus when applying the second contentsecuring apparatus to the container to verify application of the secondapplication force.
 2. The order dosing filler system of claim 1, whereinthe container transfer device includes heads configured to grip andrelease the containers.
 3. The order dosing filler system of claim 1,wherein the container transfer device includes a first set of containershaving a first size and a second set of containers having a second sizedifferent from the first size, wherein the container transfer device isconfigured to transport one of the first set of containers or one of thesecond set of containers to the container transport system based onreceived pharmaceutical orders.
 4. The order dosing filler system ofclaim 3, wherein the first set of containers includes a rigid containerconfigured to maintain a cup-shaped form on the container transferdevice.
 5. The order dosing filler system of claim 1, further comprisinga package device configured to package the sealed containers fordelivery.
 6. The order dosing filler system of claim 1, wherein thecontainer sealing device is configured to seal induction liners on thepackage as the package travels through an inductive tunnel.
 7. The orderdosing filler system of claim 1, wherein the container identifierassembly includes a machine-readable printer configured to associate amachine-readable identifier with each of the plurality of thecontainers.
 8. The order dosing filler system of claim 1, wherein thecontainer identifier assembly includes a seal printer configured toassociate a timestamp with a seal of each of the plurality of thecontainers.
 9. The order dosing filler system of claim 1, wherein thecontainer identifier assembly includes a medication identifier printerconfigured to associate a list of one of the first selection of theproducts and the second selection of the products on each of theplurality of the containers based on the received orders associated witheach of the plurality of the containers.
 10. The order dosing fillersystem of claim 1, wherein the inspection assembly includes a firstcontainer sorting device configured to at least one of: rotate each ofthe plurality of the containers containing one of the first selection ofthe products and the second selection of the products before sealing therespective container; and divert at least one of the plurality of thecontainers to a separate staging area.
 11. The order dosing fillersystem of claim 1, wherein the inspection assembly includes a firstimaging device configured to image an interior of each of the pluralityof the containers to determine if one of the first selection of theproducts and the second selection of the products is present in each ofthe plurality of the containers.
 12. An order dosing filler systemcomprising: an order processing device configured to receivepharmaceutical orders including orders for drugs used in multi-drugregimens, wherein each of the multi-drug regimens has a plurality ofscheduled dosing events; a container transport system; a containertransfer device configured to transfer containers to the containertransport system, and the container transport system is configured totransport the containers to a dosing device, a container sealing device,a container identifier assembly, and an inspection assembly, wherein:the dosing device is configured to communicate with the order processingdevice and configured to dispense drugs for scheduled dosing times intothe containers based on the received pharmaceutical orders, wherein eachof the containers corresponds to a respective one of the plurality ofscheduled dosing events, and the container transport system isconfigured to transport the containers with the dispensed drugs to thecontainer sealing device; the container sealing device is configured toseal to the plurality of the containers with the dispensed drugs,wherein each container retains one or more drugs for one of themulti-drug regimens providing a dosage unit container corresponding toone of the plurality of scheduled dosing events for one of themulti-drug regimens; the container identifier assembly is configured toidentify the dosage unit containers based on the received pharmaceuticalorder; and the inspection assembly is configured to inspect each of thedosage unit containers; wherein the container sealing device includes: afirst content securing device operably connected to the order processingdevice to apply a first content securing apparatus to the containercontaining the items from the dosing device with the first contentsecuring apparatus is selected, wherein the first content securingdevice is configured to sense a first application force to the contentsecuring apparatus when applying the first content securing apparatus tothe container to verify application of the first application force; anda second content securing device operably connected to the orderprocessing device to apply a second content securing apparatus to thecontainer containing the items from the dosing device when the secondcontent securing apparatus is selected alternatively from the firstcontent securing device based on instruction from the order processingdevice, wherein the second content securing device is configured tosense a second application force to the second content securingapparatus when applying the second content securing apparatus to thecontainer to verify application of the second application force; andwherein the inspection assembly includes a first container sortingdevice configured to rotate each of the plurality of the containerscontaining one of the first selection of the products and the secondselection of the products before sealing the respective container; anddivert at least one of the plurality of the containers to a separatestaging area; and wherein a second container sorting device isconfigured to rotate and divert at least one of the plurality of thesealed containers to the staging area; and a second imaging device isconfigured to image each of the plurality of the containers to determineif the container is sealed and to verify a machine-readable identifierassociated with each of the plurality of the containers, wherein thesecond imaging device includes at least one of a scanner and amachine-readable identifier reader.
 13. The order dosing filler systemof claim 12, wherein the container transfer device includes headsconfigured to grip and release the containers.
 14. The order dosingfiller system of claim 12, wherein the container transfer deviceincludes a first set of containers having a first size and a second setof containers having a second size different from the first size,wherein the container transfer device is configured to transport one ofthe first set of containers or one of the second set of containers tothe container transport system based on received pharmaceutical orders.15. The order dosing filler system of claim 12, wherein each containerincludes a semi-rigid container configured to maintain a cup-shaped formon the container transfer device.
 16. The order dosing filler system ofclaim 12, wherein the container sealing device is configured to sealinduction liners on the package as the package travels through aninductive tunnel.
 17. The order dosing filler system of claim 12,wherein the container identifier assembly includes a machine-readableprinter configured to associate the machine-readable identifier witheach of the plurality of the containers.
 18. The order dosing fillersystem of claim 12, wherein the container identifier assembly includes aseal printer configured to associate a timestamp with a seal of each ofthe plurality of the containers.
 19. The order dosing filler system ofclaim 12, wherein the container identifier assembly includes amedication identifier printer configured to associate a list of one ofthe first selection of the products and the second selection of theproducts on each of the plurality of the containers based on thereceived orders associated with each of the plurality of the containers.